The survey, available online, asks about the level of crime you may have experienced and what sort of crime it was. It also asks about what measures farmers are taking to prevent crime on their farm and to what extent farmers are working with their local police forces.
With elections for police and crime commissioners scheduled for later this year, the evidence provided by this survey will be crucial in demonstrating the far-reaching impacts of rural crime to candidates, as well as MPs, government officials and police forces.
By way of thanks, any member completing the survey will have the opportunity to enter a prize draw with a chance to win one of three GPS marking systems provided by Datatag.
NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts said:
“The impacts of rural crime can be devastating for any farm business. Not only does it hurt a farm financially and its ability to farm effectively, it also causes huge emotional distress for farming families. Our farms are our homes, as well as our workplaces.
“For many years, we have all felt that rural crime is increasing and becoming far more organised and sophisticated. Tackling this scourge on the countryside is a key priority for the NFU and it is something we have raised at the highest levels of government.
“With police and crime commissioner elections scheduled for May, there is an opportunity to show candidates how rural crime is affecting our communities and challenge them on what their plans are to tackle this, should they be elected.
“This survey provides an opportunity to build that evidence base and I would encourage as many members as possible to take part. It’s incredibly important we are able to showcase just how many farmers this is affecting and the impact it is having.”
The closing date for the survey is Sunday 7 March 2021.
More from NFUonline:
- Prevent and report rural crime with the NFU's dedicated hub
- NFU launches Cyber Security Guide for farmers
- NFU and Crimestoppers - the story so far and combatting rural crime in the future
